


the last great american dynasty

by orphan_account, roonilwazlib69



Series: folklore by taylor swift  (Wolfstar) [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M, Marauders Era (Harry Potter), Meet the Family, Number Twelve Grimmauld Place, Song: the last great american dynasty (Taylor Swift), Songfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-26
Updated: 2020-08-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:54:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26115265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account, https://archiveofourown.org/users/roonilwazlib69/pseuds/roonilwazlib69
Summary: Who knows, if I never showed up, what could've been.There goes the loudest woman this town has ever seen,I had a marvelous time ruining everything.In which Sirius and Remus pay a visit to Grimmauld Place and shake things up a little bit.
Relationships: Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Series: folklore by taylor swift  (Wolfstar) [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1892968
Comments: 2
Kudos: 33





	the last great american dynasty

** 19th December, 1977 **

“And you’re sure you still want to do this?” Remus inquired for what felt like, and probably was, the millionth time. He and the other three Marauders had just clambered into their usual compartment on the Hogwarts Express, leaving school for the Christmas holidays for the last time. It was surprisingly sunny for a winter afternoon in Scotland and they were grateful for the warmth.

Sirius responded with a grin and, “I’m sure. I’ve never pranked dear old Walburga before and that simply will not stand!” Remus rolled his eyes but returned the smile; things had been rather bleak in the wizarding world for some time and it was nice to see Sirius so excited about something. The werewolf was reminded fondly of the first time he met his now-boyfriend, sitting in that very spot, in that very compartment, smiling that same wicked smile. It made his heart feel like it could burst out of his chest at any moment.

However, James Potter was not in love with Sirius Black and thus found it much easier to resist that cool grey stare and the way his Adam’s apple bobbed when he laughed. 

“Let me read that letter again,” he said, in a stern voice that sounded eerily like Lily. “I want our Padfoot back in one piece, just let me make sure there’s nothing in there she can curse your nose off for.”

Sirius snorted and reached into his trunk, pulling out a folded piece of parchment. In his absolute best penmanship, it read:

_ My dear mother, _

_ I understand that it has been quite some time since we last saw each other, but I sorely regret the way I left things when I ran away. _

_If you will have me, I would like nothing better than to spend Christmas Eve with my family, I miss you all more than I can bear - ~~maybe not Kreacher, actually.~~_

_ Please send Peter’s owl back with your response (that’s Peter Pettigrew, of the Sacred 28’s Pettigrew family), I really would like to make amends._

_ Yours faithfully, _

_ Sirius O. Black _

“Bloody hell, Pads,” James looked up, a strange kind of impressed disbelief on his features. “You really laid it on thick, didn’t you.”

Sirius leaned forward and took the letter from James, folding it up carefully and slotting it into an envelope. “Well she has to believe it or she won’t say yes, will she?”

James caught Remus’ eye and they both chuckled, shaking their heads the way that had become all too common in Sirius’ company. Peter, on the other hand, was chewing his lip nervously and he kept opening his mouth as if to speak, before thinking better of it and closing it again.

“Spit it out then, Wormtail,” Sirius snapped, but upon seeing James glare at him, his look softened.

“Well...it’s just — why did we have to use my owl?” He looked as though he was on the verge of tears, “What if she does something to it?”

And with that, Sirius attached the letter to the bird’s foot and patted its feathered head once before letting it fly out of the open train window. 

* * *

** 24th December 1977 **

Remus was, for lack of a better phrase, shitting himself. Number 12, Grimmauld Place was tall, taller than any house Remus had ever been to before. Being from a tiny village in the south of Wales, he was far more accustomed to cottages and teeny tiny houses painted in pastel hues. This was an entirely different story. 

The Black family home was a towering monolith of a townhouse, with a door so dark green that it appeared black, and frames around each tall window to match. Remus was so in awe of the place that his boyfriend had once called home that he barely noticed him fidgeting at his side, wringing his hands and combing through his hair compulsively.

“Hey, hey, Pads,” Remus said gently, moving to stand in front of the smaller boy and cup his face in his cold hands. “What’s going on?”

“I can’t do it, Moony. I can’t go back in there, not even for a prank,” he had closed his eyes and his voice was shaking the way it always did when he was trying not to cry. Remus let his thumb swipe the cut on his sharp cheekbone that he had attained from a nasty broom incident the week before.

“Look at me,” Sirius’ eyes fluttered open, “She can’t hurt you,  won’t  hurt you - remember what you told me in second year? She never causes a scene in front of guests.” He nodded slowly, some colour returning to his pale face. Remus captured his lips in a kiss, softly and sweetly in a way that said, ‘I’m here. I’m not going anywhere. I love you,’ without saying anything at all. 

It was only when they heard the sound of the front door opening that the two of them sprang apart, and they were both more than a little relieved that it was Regulus standing in the doorway rather than one of his parents. 

“Oh, erm—“ he looked at them with wide eyes before looking at his feet, “Mother sent me to come and get you. Maybe do a little less of  that in front of her, hm?”

Sirius sniggered and walked forwards, seemingly urged on by Regulus’ blatant lack of reaction to seeing his brother kissing another bloke full on the mouth. Remus inhaled sharply and followed after him, hoping that he hadn’t come across quite as nervous as he felt.

When Walburga stepped into the hallway to greet them, Remus was surprised by how tall she was up close. At 6 foot 2, very few people were tall enough to look down on him - although he suspected Walburga Black would find a way to do so even if she was 5 feet tall - but Mrs. Black, in her black stilettos and forest green dress, could. Remus had seen her before, of course, but only from afar at King’s Cross Station. The resemblance to her two sons was frankly uncanny, she had the same thin lips, sharp jawline and high cheekbones with a pointed, upturned nose to complement her snobbish demeanour. Remus hated it.

“Sirius! My darling boy,” she leaned forward to kiss both of his cheeks and he flinched almost imperceptibly at her touch. “You didn’t tell me you were bringing a friend - won’t you introduce him to your mother?”

Remus steeled himself and smiled, praying that it didn’t look too strained. He looked at Sirius expectantly and saw that he was frozenplace, unable to produce a sentence. 

“It’s lovely to meet you, Mrs. Black,” she let out a hearty laugh that was harsh to the ear and not nearly as pleasant as Sirius’. “Your house is just beautiful, it’s very...Slytherin!” He had the correct assumption that she would take that as a compliment. 

The next five or so minutes were spent in that painful small talk stage in which Remus was asked not once, but twice about his blood status. Thankfully, he managed to bullshit his way through it by making up a different surname for his father and claiming that his mother was dead - charming.

They had to walk through e drawing room to get to the dining room and Remus’ eyes were immediately drawn to the huge tapestry on the wall, a great tree with countless limbs sprawling out in all directions. 

“Ah, there’s me!” Sirius pointed at what looked like a black blob on the wall and behind him, Remus could hear Walburga sigh. “Gorgeous as ever, eh Reggie?” And with a wink, he carried on through.

At the dining table, Walburga and Orion took the seats at each end, with the three teenagers sitting side by side, exchanging mildly anxious looks every time anybody decided to speak. 

“How is the soup, my dears?” Remus could have rolled eyes at her sickly sweet tone that he knew was a facade, a mask to use what she really was: a cold-hearted, conniving abuser who relished in the pain of those she deemed inferior.

He swallowed the insults that were rising in his throat and managed a, “Wonderful, thank you.”

She smiled at him again and turned her head to look at Sirius instead. “Tell me, mon cherie, how long have you and...Remus was it? How long have you and Remus been friends.” To an outsider, it might have looked as though he was really trying, but Sirius knew, and Remus knew, and it was likely that Regulus also knew, that this was just a bid to take back control of his life. Control of the way he dressed, what he ate, the way he thought - control was  everything  to this woman. 

Sirius coughed quietly before speaking and then said, “Well, we’ve been friends since that first journey to Hogwarts in first year, we shagged for the first time in fifth year, and he’s been my boyfriend for around...eight months now.” Walburga, who had been taking a sip from her wine glass, spluttered slightly but quickly regained her composure. 

_Ever the actress,_ Remus thought bitterly. He looked across Sirius at Regulus, only to find that he was covering his mouth with his hand and clearly trying not to laugh. 

“Well,” Walburga started, her mouth in a straight line and blazing fury in her eyes, “isn’t that just marvellous for you both.” There was that laugh again.

“Oh!” Sirius smacked his forehead with his palm, “Silly me, I’m always forgetting things. Remus is actually a half-blood. And a werewolf! I’m shagging a werewolf, isn’t that funny?” Now it was Remus’ turn to choke on his drink; this certainly hadn’t been part of the plan he was told. 

Walburga had risen from her chair now, sending one of her forks clattering to the ground. For the first time, Orion spoke, “For goodness sake, let’s just all calm down, shall we?” but his wife shot him a look so poisonous that Remus doubted he would ever open his mouth again.

“Now you listen to me,” she spat, the vein on her forehead protruding slightly, making her appear more deranged than elegant. “You may have been disinherited, but you are still a Black and I will not have you besmirching our good name by consorting with...with filth!”

Sirius stood up so that his face was just inches from his mother’s and Remus couldn’t help but feel so proud of him for coming so far and being able to confront her so fearlessly. “Call him filth one more time, I fucking dare you.”

Orion, from the other side of the room, brought his fist down on the table with a bang, “I want to eat my bloody soup so sit down, all of you!” 

There were tears leaking from Regulus’ eyes, this was clearly very entertaining for him.

“No, I think we’ll be going, actually,” Sirius said, breaking the staring contest with Walburga to look at Remus. “Lots of werewolves to shag and whatnot. Thanks for the soup, mumsy.” And with that, he reached for his boyfriend’s hand and they sped towards the door, but Sirius slowed down when they reached the tapestry once more and whispered something under his breath, too quiet for anybody else to hear.

As they reached the front door, they realised that only Regulus was following them but Remus couldn’t work out why; Walburga was not one to let an argument cease without having the last word. The answer to his unspoken question came in the form of Freddie Mercury’s voice belting out the lyrics to ‘Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy,” from where Sirius’ portrait had once been on the family tree.

_ Ooh, love. Ooh, lover boy. _

_ Whatcha doing tonight, hey boy, _

_ Write my letter, _

_ Feel much better, _

_ And use my fancy patter on the telephone. _

Regulus’ shoulders were still shaking with laughter as he ushered them out of the door, “Go on, go! Before she sees us talking! I’ll tell her that you threatened to bite me if she tells anyone that you’re a werewolf.”

Without thinking, Sirius wrapped his arms around his brother and squeezed tightly, their first hug since the older Black had left home two years prior. It was well overdue. 

They waited until they were out of view of Grimmauld Place before keeling over with laughter, clutching at their sides and wheezing; those cigarettes were starting to take their toll, but they couldn’t have cared less in that moment. 

“You’re really ruining everything for your family aren’t you?” Remus asked, wiping tears of mirth from his eyes.

Sirius nodded through his hysterics before standing up straight and flicking his hair dramatically. “And having a marvellous time doing, it darling!”


End file.
